Best Outdoor Toys for Your Kids This Summer

So school is out and you’re already thinking… Did my kid always complain this much? Before you throw on the TV or let your kids play video games all day in desperation, check out some of these awesome outdoor toys we reviewed. They have been tested by my children and a few neighbors and any other kid that looked bored. And some of these toys definitely got the Alpha Mom Favorite award!

OgoSport Mezo OgoDisk Set, $29.99

I actually thought the name of this toy, the OgoSport Mezo OgoDisk Set, was a joke. How is this toy recommendation supposed to spread by word of mouth? “My kids were playing this great game at the beach. You should get it! It’s call – Umm…. I don’t know OhNo something. Forget it.” But despite the tongue twister name, it’s actually quite fun. The OgoSport Mezo OgoDisk Set is a hand trampoline for balls. It definitely takes some skill and practice and it’s not for super young kids. It’s great to play in the pool because it doesn’t sink. It should also definitely come with two balls because you are going to lose one. Luckily, you can also use it with other balls or even water balloons. You can even use the disks themselves as a frisbee of sorts.

Strengths: Fun for kids and adults. Lots of different ways to use this toy.

Weaknesses: I wish there was a way to attach the ball to one of the disks when not in use because it seems very easy to lose.

YBike Balance Bike, $84.99

I had my doubts about the YBIKE. It looked like the kind of thing my kids would ride once and then quickly deposit into the unused, ignored toy graveyard. But I was very wrong.

This is a great vehicle for the younger set (ages 2 – 4). It comes in lots of bright colors and preschoolers power the bike by pushing off their feet and they can actually get some real speed if they try. The Y Bike also improves balance, coordination and motor skills. But my young son mostly likes to crash into things.

It’s also very easy to assemble (seriously).

Strengths: Easy to assemble and fun.

Weaknesses: Not cheap but if you buy it when they are 2 years old, you should get some good life out of it.

Final Word on the YBIKE: If your kid already owns a tricycle, this is a nice addition.

Spooner Board, $44.99

The Spooner Board is a balancing board that can be used for pretty much anything. You can balance on it, spin on it, and do tricks with it. My kids put it on our trampoline (I’m guessing because they are never satisfied until they have injured themselves in some way).

The Spooner definitely seems like a great way to practice skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding techniques all year round. And the company touts that it improves core strength and stability, leg strength, balance, coordination and gross-motor skills.

No assembly (yay!) and very durable (double yay!) Only problem? My kids didn’t really play with it for long but I think it might be the kind of toy that reemerges later.

Strengths: No assembly, durable and perfect for the skateboarder, surfer or snowboarder in your family.

Weaknesses: Might take a little while for your kids to figure out exactly what to do with it. Great ideas on the company’s website.

Final Word on the Spooner Board: Buy it for your sports enthusiast but don’t expect just any kid to latch on to this thing.

Kidoozie Super Skipper, $35.98

See how much fun those kids are having with the Kidoozie Super Skipper? Your children will definitely not have that much fun. Basically your kids jump to the music as the pole revolves around the electronic base. It features 3 adjustable height modes and 3 different skipping speeds.

But here’s the problem. The skipping speeds are too fast. My 4 year olds could not jump quickly enough which made it very frustrating. The products is designed for age 3 to 15. But 3 is too young for this and there is no 15 year old on the planet who would do this for very long. Probably best for 5 to 7 year olds.

Needs three C batteries. Does not come with a good way to store it unless you keep the big box. It’s easy to assemble but gets knocked apart very quickly during play.

Strengths: This might be a great way to get some energy out indoors during the winter months.

Weaknesses: Too fast. Needs a slower speed for 3 and 4 year olds. Read the directions or else you will think it’s broken when you are trying to start it.

Final Word on the Kidoozie Super Skipper: I would skip this unless your kid loves jumping or she/he tried it at a friend’s house and really liked it.

Franklin Sports MLB Pitching Machine, $28.49

This pitching machine is a great way for your kids to hit some balls. Very easy to assemble and there is a height adjustment for pitches. The ball pitches every 10 seconds, comes out fast and can be a little erratic, so watch out.

If you buy this for your kids, you will spend a lot of time retrieving balls from the neighbor’s yard, but weren’t you doing that anyway? Comes with 6 balls and I wish there were more because invariably you will lose some. Given the price, I do not expect this to last forever. It’s also quite easy to forget to turn off which means you will burn through the 4 “D” batteries (included).

Intended for kids ages 8 and up which seems about right.

Strengths: Fun outdoor activity.

Weaknesses: Ball pitch not always consistent, and fast. You will need more balls. May not be the most durable but it’s pretty low cost for a pitching machine.

Banzi Bestselling Geyser Blast Sprinker, $29.99

Did they just put “Bestselling” in the title of their product? Well played, Banzi. The Banzai Geyser Blast Sprinkler is one of those fun, summer items that you don’t really need because a regular sprinkler is just as fun and it’s sitting in your garage right now. I wouldn’t exactly describe it as a “geyser” or a “blast” of water but it does shoot water around in different directions and my kids had a ball running through it.

We had no problems with this product but I did notice a lot of complaints on Amazon from folks upset that it didn’t work properly right out of the box.

Strengths: Great activity on a hot summer day.

Weaknesses: Your kids can get the same amount of fun out of the sprinkler you already own.

Mookie Classic Swingball, $44.99

I have always been a big fan of swing ball (called zim zam back in the day) because it’s really fun to play with your kids and also a terrific way to get out your aggressions. Basically you are trying to hit the ball one way while your opponent tries to hit it the other way. It’s perfect for kids 5 and up (and plenty of adults too). Kids younger than 5 will get frustrated.

This is very easy to assemble but I had a difficult time getting the stake into the ground. There needs to be a wider step on the pole. We even went to our neighbors to ask for a sledgehammer which is a strange request and we came up empty. So we never could get that stake properly installed. We were still able to play even though the pole flopped around a bit. I’m also not a big fan of holes in my yard but the fun made it worth it.

Final note – there is a way to hang the paddles from the pole which is a nice feature.

Strengths: Fun activity for kids and adults.

Weaknesses: Quite difficult to get the pole into the ground, plus it makes a hole in your yard.

Flybar Foam Maverick Pogo Stick, $39.99

You can’t really buy a pogo stick without someone mentioning some kind of pogo stick accident. So I guess they can be dangerous and it’s probably a good idea to wear a helmet. This one is for ages 5 and up. It safety supports 40 to 80 pounds.

It can take some practice to get the feel of it so don’t assume your child is too young if they can’t jump up and down right away. Pogo sticks seems very cool the first day you get them. And kind of cool the second day. And well by the third, they are propped up against the wall.

If your kid really wants a pogo stick, ask around and maybe you can get a second hand one at no cost to you.

Strengths: Great exercise, long shelf life.

Weaknesses: Kids might get a little bored after the initial excitement.

About the author

Kelcey Kintner writes the humor blog, The Mama Bird Diaries and co-founded the cheeky advice site, The Mouthy Housewives. This Columbia Journalism School graduate also drives a gold minivan because you can't fit five kids on a Vespa. An award winning journalist, she still secretly longs to be an Olympic ice skater. You can follow her on Twitter @mamabirddiaries.

3 Responses to “Best Outdoor Toys for Your Kids This Summer”

My daughter (3) has the Kidoozie pogo bouncer and it’s great, it seems pretty safe. She uses it inside but it could go outside too. Also, it says it supports up to 250 pounds! My husband and I have both used it and it’s fun. Some people might not like the squeaker, but it sounds better than whining to me! http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/international_playthings/kidoozie_hop_squeak_pogo_jumper.cfm?source=google_pla&kwid=IP326&gclid=CjwKEAjwuYOeBRCy3pLljpjDkDcSJAAhA4mtWh72y0aky2dLfVbdsNgf_cL2kYxSLcYMO-TAILgdkxoCuKfw_wcB

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[…] So school is out and you’re already thinking… Did my kid always complain this much' Before you throw on the TV or let your kids play video games all day in desperation, check out some of these awesome outdoor toys we reviewed. They have been tested by my children and a few neighbors and any other kid that looked bored. And some of these toys definitely got the Alpha Mom Favorite award! Read full article […]

About the author

Kelcey Kintner writes the humor blog, The Mama Bird Diaries and co-founded the cheeky advice site, The Mouthy Housewives. This Columbia Journalism School graduate also drives a gold minivan because you can't fit five kids on a Vespa. An award winning journalist, she still secretly longs to be an Olympic ice skater. You can follow her on Twitter @mamabirddiaries.